CARPET BEETLES

Several species of carpet beetles enter houses. The adult black carpet beetle is dull black with brown legs. Adults of other species of carpet beetles (Common Carpet Beetle, Varied Carpet Beetle) are mottled with white, brown, yellow or black. Carpet beetle adults are about one eighth of an inch long. They fly readily and are attracted to light. Many of the adults feed on flower pollen. Carpet beetles breed and feed outside on dead animal material and in bird or rodent nests of dropped feathers and hairs. Old wasp nests under eaves and in attics may also serve as carpet beetle breeding sites, since wasp skins provide a suitable food source. Removal of wasp nests, Mud Dauber nests is a must in carpet beetle control and elimination.

A female carpet beetle lays about 100 eggs that hatch in a week or two. The black carpet beetle generally has only one generation a year, but other carpet beetles may have as many as four generations a year. Developmental time may take longer if food is scarce. The larvae begin feeding as soon as they hatch.Carpet beetle larvae are carrot-shaped with tail bristles. Black carpet beetle larvae may grow to be one half inch long, are dark yellow to brown and have long tail bristles. Other carpet beetle larvae are generally about one fourth of an inch long, stubby and are covered with dark bristles. Carpet beetle larvae may crawl from place to place and may be found on items on which they do not feed. Unlike the adult beetles, the larvae avoid light and prefer to live in undisturbed places. Larvae are often attracted to soiled fabrics (such as clothing soiled with body oil or perspiration) and cracks and crevices where lint, food crumbs or dead insects accumulate.

Carpet beetle larvae may also feed on stored cereals, dry pet food and wool piano felts.

Cigarette Beetle

The cigarette beetle is one of the most common household insect pests along the Atlantic Coast and Gulf Coast States. It can be found throughout the year, but seems to be more common in the fall and winter months. The cigarette beetle is native to Egypt. In fact, a beetle was found in King Tutankhamen's tomb! In the 3,500 years since, it has hardly changed.

The adult beetles are small, squat and oval, about 1/10 inch long, and are covered with small hairs which give them a silky, yellowish-brown color. The antennae are saw-like and the head is retracted. Many times it is mistaken for the Drugstore Beetle, when identified with the naked eye. Adults are strong fliers and prefer subdued light and temperatures over 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The adults tend to fly in late afternoons and on cloudy, overcast days.

As its name implies, the cigarette beetle is a pest of dried tobacco either in the stored, bundled form or in cigars, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco. This particular species infests tobacco wherever it is stored but is also found infesting many homes. It also feeds on the bindings and leaves of books. The larval stages of the cigarette beetle can feed on a variety of stored products including grain, cereal products, pet foods, rat and mouse baits, pasta, ginger, raisins, rice, dates, pepper, dried fish, drugs, belladonna, dried flower arrangements and seeds. The larvae have been known to feed on upholstered furniture, particularly stuffing. The adult Cigarette Beetle can also feed on pyrethrum powder that is strong enough to kill cockroaches! A serious pantry pest, their range of food makes them difficult to control. There have been larval infestations in dried flower arrangements, causing the flowers to drop or all the petals to fall.

The female produces about 100 eggs, which are deposited on or near the available food supply. These eggs then hatch within 6-10 days. The wormlike larvae are slightly smaller than the adult beetles. Larvae are creamy white except for the yellow head and brown mouth parts. Larvae become full grown in about 40 days. The entire life cycle can be completed in 45-50 days, and there may be 3-6 overlapping generations per year in warmer climates, while one generation per year might be seen in more temperate locations.

The first step in control of the cigarette beetle is to find the source of the infestation. This means inspecting all of the dried foods in the infested cabinets or drawers. Once the infested material is found, it should be destroyed or frozen for 5-10 days. Clean all the cabinets and drawers with a vacuum cleaner (then throw the cleaner bag away!).

A very effective tool in controlling infestations of cigarette beetles is Methoprene, the active ingredient found in Precor. This IGR prevents immature stages of certain pantry pests (and fleas) from maturing into reproducing adults, breaking the life cycle of the pest.

Confused Flour Beetle

The confused flour beetle and the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) are similar in appearance and habits. Adult confused flour beetles have the antennae gradually enlarged toward the tip; the antennae of the red flour beetle have the last three segments abruptly enlarged. Tribolium confusum cannot fly, but Tribolium castaneum may fly.

The elongate, reddish-brown beetles are about 3-4mm long, with a distinct joint between the thorax and abdomen. Confused flour beetles are very common pests infesting many flour mills, warehouses, and grocery stores. They also feed upon grain, beans, dried fruits, nuts, chocolate, and other foods in the house. Flour beetles attack milled grain products such as flour and cereals. These beetles often hitchhike into the house in infested flour and can build up into large populations on food accumulations in cabinet cracks and crevices and in furniture.

The adult female may live for as long as two years, depositing 300 to 400 eggs. The mature larva is brownish-white, has six legs, and is up to 13mm long. The life cycle requires one to four months when temperatures are favorable.

Drugstore Beetle

When examined without the aid of a microscope or field magnifier, this pest of stored products can easily be misidentified as a cigarette beetle. The drugstore beetle is similar to the cigarette beetle in appearance but is slightly larger, more elongate, and has distinctly striated wing covers.

The last three segments of the drugstore beetle antennae are shaped somewhat like a saw blade. When at rest, this beetle's antennae and legs are pressed to its body, which enables it to go undetected without closer examination. It is cylindrical in body shape, is brown in color and is about 1/10 to 1/8 inch long. Its food is even more varied than that of the cigarette beetle, and it is said to feed "upon almost anything except cast iron." Drugstore beetle eggs are laid singly in its food source.

The larval period of this beetle can last from four to five months and the pupal stage lasts from two weeks to 18 days. The complete life cycle of the drugstore beetle takes about 7 months.Its fondness for feeding on bread is why it was given the Latin name paniceum, but as we mentioned earlier, this pantry pest will feed on practically anything.

The different products in which drugstore beetles have been found are many:strychnine, belladonna, aconite, strychnine-laced wheat, flour, breakfast foods (cold cereals, hot cereals, pastries, grits), meal, red pepper, oatmeal and spices, just to name a few! There have even been reports of this beetle sheet lead, tin foil and wooden game board pieces.

Khapra Beetle

Description, biology and habits of the Khapra Beetle will help correctly identify which beetle has infested your home or business and how to control the pest. You need to know the type of foods the beetle feeds on and its life cycle in order to make a thorough inspection and to choose the best pest control methods. Integrated pest management requires knowing as much as possible about the targeted pest, changing its surroundings to limit its entry and its reproduction.

Inspection, identification, sanitation and structural changes are more important than which pesticide or trap is used in Khapra Beetle control.

Khapra Beetle Description: Small round beetles; 1/8 long with dark colored pattern on back usually yellow and brown with various shades on their wings.

Biology of Khapra Beetles: Discovered in the US in 1946, Known to infest warehouses and food processing plants and can infest any structure and prospers in pantries, closets, garages, laundry rooms, and basements where wheat, grain, cereal, barley and rice are stored. Khapra beetles thrive on pet food, grass seed, bird seed and in areas with large Pecan, Walnut, Acorn and other nut trees

Life Cycle and Habits of Khapra Beetle: Larva begin to feed as soon as they find food and will continue for a month. They will then pupate into adults and begin mating and laying eggs. The stages from Larva to adult usually last two to three months, though it is not uncommon to last three to four months. Khapra beetles multiply at an increased rate if food supplies are in abundant. In the average home, infestation is usually limited to a few rooms.

Khapra Beetle Control Measures: Discard any food item suspected of harboring larval or adults. Empty cabinets and treat with Baygon Aerosol in all cracks and crevices where adults like to lay eggs. This spray will break the cycle by killing off emerging larva which will be hatching from eggs that have been laid undetected or hidden from view. If Khapra Beetles are found throughout the whole house treatment using Permethrin in a pump sprayer should be used, treating all baseboards throughout living areas and in unfinished basements and garage areas. This should last 2-4 weeks and provide a residual so that emerging larva will die off while seeking food.

Old House Borer

Old house borers attack softwoods only -- coniferous woods such as pine, fir, spruce and hemlock. It usually attacks stored lumber, after which the wood destroying beetle is introduced into homes as they are built. Log homes infested with old house borers is a very common occurrence.

OLD HOUSE BORER IDENTIFICATION

The Old House Borer belongs to the beetle family Cerambycidae, a group also known as the "long horned" beetles. The key identifying characteristic of this family is long, thin antennae that ore often as long (or longer) than the body of the beetle. The adult old house borer can be from 5/8 inch to 1 inch in length, with the males typically being smaller than their female counterparts. The beetle's body has a slightly flattened appearance. Its color may appear dark gray, but is usually brownish black to black. The prothorax (behind the head) is rounded in shape and contains two raised, shiny black "bumps." The wing covers of the old house borer are black, with lighter gray colored areas forming bands that are usually present about one-half down the wing covers. Yellowish-gray hairs may be present on the head and the prothorax. It is not often that a homeowner (or pest control operator) actually finds adult old house borers in a structure. As will be explained later in this article, the sound of the larvae feeding inside timbers, exit holes and frass are the signs that point to an actual infestation.

OLD HOUSE BORER LARVAE

The head of the old house borer larvae is round and is much larger than its tail, a shape which is typical of the Cerambycidae beetles which are known as "round headed borers." This larvae is grayish-white in color and grows from 3/4 inch to 1 5/8 inch in length. The head capsule is dark brown, and three simple eyes are found on each side of the head when viewed from the front. This characteristic sets the old house borer larvae apart from other long horned beetle larvae found infesting wood. Other long horned beetle larvae have only one such eye on each side of the head. The frass of the old house borer consists of very fine powder and tiny pellets that are tightly packed within the galleries. The holes of the larvae are oval shaped. This oval exit hole and the appearance of frass are usually the first indications of old house borer infestations.

Old house borer larvae feed until they reach about 200 mg. in weight. At this time, the mature larva tunnels to the surface of the wood and cuts an oval shaped exit hole. This exit hole is then sealed with packed frass. Just below this exit hole is a pupal chamber where the larva pupate. Even after emerging from the pupal stage, the adult beetle may remain in the pupal chamber for up to 10 months. The oval exit hole created by the emerging adult old house borer can be 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch in diameter.

Powderpost Beetles

Biology: Powderpost beetles are so called because in high numbers they are able to turn the inside of a piece of wood into nothing more than a mass of fine powder.

These wood destroying beetles can do significant damage to log homes, furniture, wood floors and structural timbers in your home.

Powder post beetles are small (1/8 inch) and the adult beetles are seldom seen. Most of the life cycle is spent in the grub or larvae stage eating wood.

Damage is done by the larvae as they create narrow, meandering tunnels in wood as they feed.

This stage can last between 1-10 years, depending upon a number of factors including species of beetle, type of wood infested, age of wood, moisture content of wood and air temperature. People do not realize that the wood is infested until the adult beetles emerge from within the wood. The exit holes are very small, about the size of a pin head.

Newly emerged adults mate and lay eggs on or below the surface of bare (unfinished) wood. The eggs hatch into tiny larvae which bore into the wood, emerging as adults 1-10 years later.

Infestations develop slowly, but wood can be reinfested year after year. Homeowners are more likely to see damage than the beetles themselves, because the adults are short-lived and are active mainly at night.

When the wood is tapped with a hammer, dust will fall from these exit holes. Depending on the species, powder post beetles can infest hardwoods such as cherry and oak, or softwoods such as poplar, pine and bamboo. If you find a beetle infestation in a piece of oak furniture, this same species of beetle would not infest your pine floor but might infest other pieces of your oak furniture.

Saw Toothed Grain Beetle

The adult is a small, active, brown beetle, 1/10 to 1/8 inch long, with a flattened body and six saw-toothed projections on each side of the thorax. The abdomen tapers toward the tip. Its body is well adapted for the cracks and crevices where it is often found. The larva is yellowish-white with a brown head and, when fully grown, is usually less than 1/8 inch long. The saw-toothed grain beetle is a common pest known throughout most of the world and is a common pest in grocery stores, food warehouses, grain storage and homes. A closely related species, Oryzaephilus mercator, is also important and is often mistaken for the saw-toothed grain beetle, but control methods of the two beetles would be basically the same. One method of distinction between the similar beetles: the Sawtoothed beetle cannot fly. The females live from 6 to 10 months and deposit 45 to 285 eggs in foodstuffs. Several generations may occur each year, as the life cycle requires only 3 to 4 weeks during the summer.

The Sawtoothed grain beetle readily penetrates packaged cereals, dried fruits, and candies. It also attacks flour, meal, sugar, drugs, dried meat, and tobacco. Remember this varied diet when locating the source of an infestation; controlling this stored product pest requires a careful inspection, discarding any infested material, repackaging products in clean containers, and a thorough vacuuming of pantries, cupboards and cabinets.

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